Word Origin & History

Old English apa "ape, monkey," from Proto-Germanic *apan (cf. Old Saxon apo, Old Norse api, Dutch aap, German affe), perhaps borrowed in Proto-Germanic from Celtic (cf. Old Irish apa) or Slavic (cf. Old Bohemian op, Slovak opitza), perhaps ultimately from a non-Indo-European language.

Apes were noted in medieval times for mimicry of human action, hence, perhaps, the other figurative use of the word, to mean "a fool." To go ape (in emphatic form, go apeshit) "go crazy" is 1955, U.S. slang. To lead apes in hell (1570s) was the fancied fate of one who died an old maid.

Example Sentences for aped

Her backwoods twang sharpened as she aped some contemporary witch.

Again, it was Sadie who was first to retort, which she did with a manner that aped his own insolence.

He was sorry for the poor little maid who had aped the ways of the grown-up.

He was Italian to the core, for all that he aped the English style and manner.

Yes; and found it the biggest humbug that ever aped Gods grass.

His foible was omnipotence, and he aped the gods of Greece in turn.

Treenail was coolness itself, and I aped him as well as I could.

They dressed the best their means would afford, and aped the rest, which was easy.

Some people said she was affected and that she aped the swagger dialect.

He had once been on a steamboat and so aped the airs of the steamboat waiters.